[Weiß Kreuz][Ficlet]Wallflower
Companion piece to kuchren's Sincerely. Same events, different POV.
Title: Wallflower
Characters: Omi, Ran
Pairings: none
Word Count: 561
Rating: G
Notes: Eh, warnings for fluff. And a lot of Omi introspection. This is set post-Kapitel and contains some spoilers on Aya-chan's character.
For kuchren
Omi noticed one thing about Ran's sister right away: she was timid.
Omi was used to being the one that no one was afraid of. He was the friendliest of the four and well-known for his sweet temper. His childlike appearance made him even more approachable. He was polite and compassionate. He was enthusiastic. He was helpful. And this time, he was utterly flabbergasted.
Certainly, there had been shier girls at the shop, but Omi couldn't say he'd expected an 18-year-old to hide behind her brother just from a simple greeting. It was almost worrisome. Had he said something wrong? She seemed fine with Ken and Yohji.
He tried again. And again. Eventually, he toned down his greetings. He carried on with his business when she visited, since she didn't seem to like talking to him. That was sort of sad to him. Aya was the beloved sister of a teammate and role model. Of course he was curious about her. Of course he wanted her to feel welcome there.
The strangest thing, however, was that half the time he felt she was watching him anyway. He'd even managed to catch her a few times. Was he growing a second head? No one else had a problem talking to him. Why would she reject conversation in favor of just... looking?
One day during a hospital delivery, Omi paused in the lobby with the bouquet to consider the girl's situation. Somewhere in that hospital, Aya had once lain as a prisoner within her own body. Omi wondered a little if part of Aya wasn't still trapped there. Was she a shy violet all the way to her core, or was she a rose like her brother-- one who simply hadn't had enough sunshine yet to open her petals?
Omi liked that thought. It would be nice if she didn't hide from him forever. Despite the avoidant treatment, he still cared about her.
So naturally, he was concerned when she had to return to that hospital for a mere cold. It seemed as though a normal life would be difficult for her if this was how her immune system was now. How frightening. What would happen if she caught something serious, like pneumonia?
Omi tried not to think about such things. He got updates on her status through visits to the hospital lobby, and was pleased to hear a week later that she could go home. His thoughts immediately turned to how he could welcome her back. Direct attempts to greet her hadn't met with success, but he wanted to acknowledge her recovery somehow. Finally, he hit upon an idea, and though it took a bit of nerve, he cornered Ran the next morning with a vase of freesia and a card.
"I have a request, Aya-kun..."
After several long seconds, he took the flowers.
That was all Omi could do. With no work that afternoon, he spent his time in the park, watching the pond and thinking again on the curious behavior Aya showed him. The roses next to the pond rocked in the breeze. The sun felt warm on his skin, and after a few minutes he shed his jacket. He glanced at the rose bed, bathing in the same sunlight, and noticed a white bud hiding in the back.
He smiled. One day, surely, she would be ready to blossom.
Title: Wallflower
Characters: Omi, Ran
Pairings: none
Word Count: 561
Rating: G
Notes: Eh, warnings for fluff. And a lot of Omi introspection. This is set post-Kapitel and contains some spoilers on Aya-chan's character.
For kuchren
Omi noticed one thing about Ran's sister right away: she was timid.
Omi was used to being the one that no one was afraid of. He was the friendliest of the four and well-known for his sweet temper. His childlike appearance made him even more approachable. He was polite and compassionate. He was enthusiastic. He was helpful. And this time, he was utterly flabbergasted.
Certainly, there had been shier girls at the shop, but Omi couldn't say he'd expected an 18-year-old to hide behind her brother just from a simple greeting. It was almost worrisome. Had he said something wrong? She seemed fine with Ken and Yohji.
He tried again. And again. Eventually, he toned down his greetings. He carried on with his business when she visited, since she didn't seem to like talking to him. That was sort of sad to him. Aya was the beloved sister of a teammate and role model. Of course he was curious about her. Of course he wanted her to feel welcome there.
The strangest thing, however, was that half the time he felt she was watching him anyway. He'd even managed to catch her a few times. Was he growing a second head? No one else had a problem talking to him. Why would she reject conversation in favor of just... looking?
One day during a hospital delivery, Omi paused in the lobby with the bouquet to consider the girl's situation. Somewhere in that hospital, Aya had once lain as a prisoner within her own body. Omi wondered a little if part of Aya wasn't still trapped there. Was she a shy violet all the way to her core, or was she a rose like her brother-- one who simply hadn't had enough sunshine yet to open her petals?
Omi liked that thought. It would be nice if she didn't hide from him forever. Despite the avoidant treatment, he still cared about her.
So naturally, he was concerned when she had to return to that hospital for a mere cold. It seemed as though a normal life would be difficult for her if this was how her immune system was now. How frightening. What would happen if she caught something serious, like pneumonia?
Omi tried not to think about such things. He got updates on her status through visits to the hospital lobby, and was pleased to hear a week later that she could go home. His thoughts immediately turned to how he could welcome her back. Direct attempts to greet her hadn't met with success, but he wanted to acknowledge her recovery somehow. Finally, he hit upon an idea, and though it took a bit of nerve, he cornered Ran the next morning with a vase of freesia and a card.
"I have a request, Aya-kun..."
After several long seconds, he took the flowers.
That was all Omi could do. With no work that afternoon, he spent his time in the park, watching the pond and thinking again on the curious behavior Aya showed him. The roses next to the pond rocked in the breeze. The sun felt warm on his skin, and after a few minutes he shed his jacket. He glanced at the rose bed, bathing in the same sunlight, and noticed a white bud hiding in the back.
He smiled. One day, surely, she would be ready to blossom.